With all this talk about credit reports, what they mean, how they work, and blah blah blah....I realized this is very boring stuff. After re-reading my first blog on credit reports I have a few apologies to make to my loyal readers. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller..... Anyways, I would first like to apologize for writing about such a dry topic. Secondly, after thinking back on what I wrote I realized I have no idea what my credit report looks like. I realized it was like the blind leading the blind, and no well respected blogger would do that to his faithful followers. Something needs to change.
In light of this recent epiphany I decided to be the man and the blogger I know my readers expect. I decided to get my credit report. Yes, you guessed it, FreeCreditReport.com (No song this time, sorry!)
In times like these, I always like to do a little prior research so I know what I am getting myself into. In this instance, I wanted to see if FreeCreditReport.com is really as good as all the songs make it sound. From my experience in life, nothing is free, but the commercials are so good that maybe this is an the exception to the rule. What I found shook me to the bone.......
Just as milk has the distinct smell of sour, FreeCreditReport.com smelled rotten of lies! OK, a little dramatic but none the less, FreeCreditReport.com is not free. This site allows users to look up their credit report using Experian, under the strict condition that they sign up for an Experian program that charges a fee! So it looks like it is not a
free credit report after all. Hold back your tears and silence your screams. It doesn't stop there!
FreeCreditReport.com has been at the losing end of two major lawsuits. The first of the two lawsuits settled for $950,000 in the form of free credit monitoring for those affected by the deceptive marketing tactics of FreeCreditReport.com. MSNBC.com and ConsumerFraudReporting.com both identified this site as a "scam" and "misleading". In an act passed this year, anyone who advertises "free credit reports" must include a statement that declares "this is not the free credit report issued by federal law." As everyone remembers from my last blog, AnnualCreditReport.com is the only place for a truly FREE credit report.
Well, unfortunately I did not get to actually view my credit report today and for that I apologize once again. I was caught up in the deception and dishonesty of a Web site and commercial I grew so fond of. From now on I promise to mute the TV every time that FreeCreditReport.com commercial airs. As your fearless blog leader, I give you my word.
